For some reason I missed this earlier this month although I try to read all of Christopher Hitchens's Slate columns, but I think it's still interesting enough to mention now.
Hitchens refers to the Michael Richards incident and the request by Jesse Jackson, Rep. Maxine Waters, and comedian Paul Moody (as well as ESPN columnist LZ Granderson, in a very cogent column) that the entertainment industry drop the use of the n-word. Hitchens goes on to talk about his own experiences with using it—on television once, when talking about reclaiming words; using the word 'niggardly' in a speech on the Elgin Marbles; and teaching the novel Huck Finn in a New School classroom.
Hitchens asserts that the n-word can be used academically without negative consequences and, furthermore, that "hatred will always outpace linguistic correctness"—new terms will always be invented to express enmity and prejudice. However, I think Hitchens is missing the point of efforts to eliminate the word from all discourse—rap lyrics and academic treatises alike.
The idea is not that suppressing the word will result in an automatic diminution of actual hatred. That is pure magical thinking, and it's a little arrogant to believe that those who wish to see the term totally perish believe in that kind of linguistic hocus pocus. What is, I believe, behind efforts to rid our active language of the word is the belief that not eliminating it will create and multiply future problems. I don't think anyone believes that seeing that term die will undo any of its history, but many do believe that there is no reason to keep it around only to cause new problems.
I don't see how using it academically actually improves the learning environment. Sure, books like Huck Finn or Joseph Conrad's "The N***** of the Narcissus" are tough to teach, but are they really tougher to teach when the word is not said, but rather substituted with the readily understood (and equally precise) term "n-word"? Sure, maybe reading aloud in class is suddenly not an option, but Huck Finn may not be the best reading material for classes which still depend heavily on reading aloud. Is it really, truly cowardly to avoid the word? Does just going ahead and saying it give one some special authenticity? If so, what kind of authenticity is it? What kind of courage?
I don't see why anyone ever needs to say that word, or would want to. I don't see what purpose it serves, and I don't see why it's problematic to ask people—rappers, academics, athletes to excise it voluntarily from their lexicon.
INTRODUCING THE BENEDICT ARNOLD LIST
ReplyDeleteUnited Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. presents its Benedict Arnold list for those Blacks who insist upon publicly using the n-word including Daman Wayans.
PURPOSE: No longer is it acceptable to trample upon the memories and honor of those who were tarred and feathered, burnt alive, castrated, hung, boiled alive, sodomized and tortured with hot pokers, disemboweled, unmercifully tortured in countless numbers of other ways, all in the name of the n-word simply because since the victims were considered to be a n***er it was okay to perform such atrocious, despicable acts. And yet as evil and heinous as these acts were there is something that transcends it and that is descendants of these canonized victims taking the word n***er and embracing it with tender loving care and using it endearingly and affectionately among them. How idiotic and moronic can this possibly be?
ELIGIBILILTY REQUIREMENTS: Consideration to be placed on the Benedict Arnold list is as follows: Blatantly showing by act and deeds a determination to undermine the African American community with a defiant public display and intent to use and promote usage of a word that is disrespectful, dishonorable to the memories of those who suffered physically, mentally and emotionally…the n-word.
Qualifiers of the Benedict Arnold list shall henceforth be looked upon as the village idiots of the community. To further clarify the criteria distinguishing who makes the list and who doesn’t among the proponents in favor of the word. It is not intended to try and nail everyone to the cross. It’s only when someone like a John Ridley or Daman Wayans who publicly…in a defiant, determined and perverse manner supports undermining the Black community by pledging allegiance to the n-word, then and only then will those names be added to the Benedict Arnold list.
In accordance with the aforementioned eligibility requirements the following have been found to be eligible to have their names placed on this list and why it is so moved.
JOHN RIDLEY as result of his verbal public defiance and insistence on referring to African Americans as the n-word and his writing of “Manifesto of Ascendancy of the Modern American N***er ” is hereby placed on the Benedict Arnold list.
DAMAN WAYANS as a result of his verbal public defiance and insistence on referring to African Americans as the n-word and his attempts in trying and still trying, though he has been turned down time and time again to register the name nigga as a trademark to be used as a marketable item for a clothesline and other marketable items, is hereby placed on the Benedict Arnold list.
To learn more about United Voices for a Common Cause and to see how Paul Mooney is being recognized in a more positive fashion (he is the first inductee into the RICHARD PRYOR ROOM) please go to http://www.theunitedvoices.org.
What about "nigger" being used in cinematic contexts? I can definitely think of a lot of movies about race that would lack serious force with the deployment of it...
ReplyDeletePaul Moody!!??
ReplyDeleteHe's Negrodamus on the Chappelle show, right? I could swear I remember him saying "nigger" on the show more than once. Weird.